30th & 31st December, 1947 - Ron resumés a year crime, then sees the old year out...

Tuesday, 30^th December, 1947

After my absence from work yesterday I had to set about putting the house in order.  It is surprising how the work can accumulate in such a short period.

One thing I was pleased over today I found the case I have been missing in my yearly resumé.

The Club purloined my table this afternoon to prepare it for the New Years do tomorrow evening.

This evening at seven it started to rain very heavily but it was only to be a shower.

Wednesday, 31^st December, 1947

I finished as much as I could at the office today ready for the closures of the year.

The Resumé of Crime does not show a great decrease in crime for the year.  Att. Murders have risen astoundingly but other crimes generally show a decrease.

I went with the chaps to the club this evening.  We were rather early so first played a game of “Snooker.”  When we had finished it we went to the dance room, which is used as a table tennis room.  At the far end a fine buffet was arrange[d], the tables heavily laden with beautifully prepared foodstuffs.  After 9pm the bar was made free.  I was interested in the dancing though the floor was rather crowded.  People from all over the district came to the party.  The Jenin Dept Dance Band provided the music.  At the hour we sang the old year out and the new year in.  After the Hand shaking and good wishing all around the party soon broke up and I for one retired looking forward eagerly to  what will come in the New Year and wishing it to be as good as the old and perhaps better.

MEMORANDUM

2.m.     slate blue

3.         light green

4.         rose

4.         puce

5.         orange

6.         green

7.         red

Now I may be wrong but I think
this list refers to stamps that Ron has
bought for his collection.

7.         purple

8.         brown

8.         red

10.       grey

13.       blue

13.       bistre

15.       blue

20.       olive

50.       puce

90.       bistre

100.     light blue

200.     purple

565

27th - 29th December, 1947 - Ron has his theory about the recent the lack of crime... and is put in charge of a Bren Gun.

Saturday, 27^th December, 1947

There has been no crime reported for several days now.  This does not lead me to think the inhabitants have all turned over new leaves but rather that they are adopting the same attitude with the Police as with the Tax Collector, who cannot collect his blood money for he is told “We have our own government now, why should we pay taxes to the old.”

The villagers are now probably solving their own crimes as the[y] always have to an extent, without telling the police.  Villagers generally have always been little help in solving crime with the Police.

Sunday, 28^th December, 1947

I did not rise at an early hour this morning as it is Sunday.  I lay in bed until I am just in time to get breakfast if I do not shave then I come back and shave then see to my laundry for the week or have a haircut.  I usually look into the office to see no outstanding crime has been reported during the morning.  Today I was busy with the crime resumé for the year.

Monday, 29^th December, 1947

This morning I was up at 6.30 and in the Station at 7.30 to hand a court exhibit to my staff to take to court.  I had to hurry back to the billet after this to go with a party to the rifle range on the Jiftlich track to fire an annual musketry course (disguise for using up surplus rounds in H.Q.)  Not as many chaps seem to be I am not at all interested in the arts of riled firing.  I am very mediocre a shot and this may be the reason for my disinterest as I cannot enter into competition with my mates.  At this time of year it is a day wasted as all the yearly returns have to be done.  In my resume of crime for the year one case under “Other Larcenies” is being very Pimpernelish in the degree of its evasiveness.  I have now been nearly two days trying to find the error in the figures.

Bren Gun
 source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Bren_light_machine_gun

To night I set about answering my Christmas mail as I am on “Stand by” duty which means I am armed with a Bren Gun and stay in my room ready in case anything happens.

24th - 26th December, 1947 - Christmas in the Holy Land although the spirits are not particularly holy!

Wednesday, 24^th December, 1947

It was bitterly cold last night with a terrific wind blowing through the valley.  I was in the Sanger[1] on the M.T. Gate and the wind whistled through it continuously for the whole of the 6 hours.

I got to work at the station earlier this morning as I wanted today to get everything ready for tomorrow and Boxing Day so that it would not necessitate my coming in for any reason.

I finished off the case file I had to leave last night, cleared up outstanding correspondence and typed the return of case files for destruction this month.

Several people started to prepare for the celebrations by drinks this afternoon.  There was a party in the Club this afternoon for the children.  There are about 20 English children in Nablus now.

In the evening all and sundry including the Stand-by Guard and one of the gate guards went to the Club where supplies of beer & spirits have been mounting up.  They diminished rapidly this evening.  The S.P. bought seven of us beers.  The “I.G.” arrived at about 9pm and stayed for a few drinks.  The Station Officer not knowing the I.G. was in a good mood but [put?] the gate guard on a charge.

[1] The Sangar was a sandbagged post at the entry to the station compound.

Dad didn't see it then... but this
was the Christmas film of 1947 -
Miracle on 34th Street

Thursday, 25^th December, 1947

^24th

In the general jubilations many glasses were broken but no other damage.  The wives all joined in to help out with the dancing.  Every room in the Club was heavily and skilfully decorated but no one had bothered to get in some of the red berried mistletoe tha grows around here.

^25th.  I was up at 8.30 this morning and spent the morning very quietly.  At 12.30pm Room 44 went En Masse to the mess to see how things were progressing.  Both the Dining Hall & the recreation rooms were being prepared for the Dinner.  As things were not quite ready we all helped to put nuts, oranges, pies, biscuits etc and beers (the cook retained several for his staff) whisky, gins, port, brandy etc. etc.  When we had finished the tables were well and truly laden.  All the civilians (English) in Nablus had been invited and many accepted including the A.D.C.  The dinner was a great success with all that could be required.  The sergeants waited on us (some objected.)  After the eats we all moved into the Dining Room for speeches and toasts.  We had a speech by the traffic tester who told us how the “I.G.” had yesterday been asked what qualifications were required for his position?  “Had he his Pro-Pay?” and told that his silver braid was scrambled egg.

Friday, 26^th December, 1947

^25th In the afternoon after dinner Room 44 went to get Bicknell’s suit from the tailor who supplied a boy to carry it back for us.  In the evening we all went to the Club which we found to be almost empty.  It livened up a bit at about 10.30pm when the C.I.D. arrived in force.  We were all in bed by 12pm though I understand that several B/Cs tried to gate crash a party in progress in the Sergeants’ Mess.

^26th I stayed in bed all this morning the first rest of the Christmas Holiday.  Getting up for lunch I went to the Station to see that all was in order and found that the A.S.P. had paid a visit and had gone through everything and had been quite pleased.

The S.P. has apparently received information that all Police Armouries in the country are to be attacked tonight by Arabs as they have no arms supplies.  We have brought all the arms from the Station down to the Billet Armouries to reduce the number of extra guards required.

I spent a quiet evening in my room with the rest of the chaps tonight.  We finished the lovely Christmas Cake sent to me from home under the guise of “Books”.  Dickens could not have written a better Christmas Story

22nd & 23rd December, 1947 - There is a shortage of men and Ron has to shift himself to get things done.

Monday, 22^nd December, 1947

This morning there were no escorts to take my prisoners to court.  This meant I had to dash around at the last moment trying to get an escort.  First I phoned the M.T. section up and they said they would supply a truck right away.  I then made haste to the Billet to wake men who had been on duty up to midnight.  Such men are excused duty up to about 8.30am.  Those on duty after midnight are excused the whole of the following morning.  I managed to get two out of bed who should have been up & dressed.  The court starts at nine we arrived about 9.30.  We then found that another prisoner was wanted so I took one of the chaps, borrowed Salphit’s car and dashed back to the station to make out another release from prison order for this additional prisoner.  I was rushing around all morning on escort duty myself as we could not get enough men to form an escort.

The S.P. payed the station a visit this afternoon, pulled everything to pieces but put a very kind entry in the inspection book.  After he had left B/I Pattle decided to give us another lecture but failed hopelessly when B/I Coles came in and told him he should not go down the Sukh.

Tuesday, 23^rd December, 1947

After the S.P.’s little chat yesterday I decided to start putting my house in order as he promised another visit within a few days when he expects to find everything in the station, and especially my charge register, up to date.  I went through the whole of the charge register from the Beginning of the year and filled in all the points that were missing.  These are not important points – only such things as “date investigations were completed”  “date referred to Magistrate.”

The Charge Room

This afternoon a letter came from Division telling me to make a summary of all the statements recorded in a Road Accident case in which proceedings had been instituted.  This is quite a big job and to top it in bold letters was written “TREAT AS VERY URGENT”  I immediately set to work on it and by 5.15pm had half completed it.  Then it suddenly flashed into my mind that I was on gate guard at 6pm.  Owing to the shortage of men all employed staff have to do at least one night duty a week.  I have been granted the privilege of the 6pm – 12pm as this does not interfere with my work.

19th & 21st December, 1947 - "Bicknell & I" brave the Souk and notice a change in the attitude of the locals

Friday, 19^th December, 1947

I transferred the firearms case to the Urban today and all the staff were happy as these cases are a lot of work and often for nothing.

A new order came out today as a result of a petition sent to the S.P. this is that No British will go into the Suq with a rifle slung on their arm.  They must be armed with pistols which will be concealed under the jacket.  Bicknell & I went together to the suq this afternoon.  This is the first time I have been into the Suq since the troubles.  The attitude of the people towards us is markedly changed in the suq where they feel safe in the narrow maze like streets.  The people no longer make haste to clear the path for us to walk and the butchers do not attempt to cover their meat.  Nothing of importance was said as we passed and the shop keepers we visited still value our custom.  I bought a case, pyjamas, shoes and oddments.  A walad seeing B & I with cases shouted “El Englisee rah, Alhumdillila.”

Ron notices a change in the atmosphere at the Souk.

Saturday, 20^th December, 1947

There was very little to do today after the finish of the primary stages of the recent cases.

I tore a large triangular gash in my Kallil trousers this morning on some barbed wire.

I changed into civvies for this afternoon I often do this when I get browned off with uniform.

This evening I turned up the bottoms of my blue uniform trousers as they are a little long.  I managed to do it passably after first turning up one more than the other and then having to take it down again.

Sunday, 21^st December, 1947

I was called away from breakfast this morning at 8.45 to prepare a release of prisoners notice as the one I gave out last night has been lost.  This made me feel very angry towards one of the Palestinians as the court started at nine and it would be impossible to be there on time.

This afternoon Paddy Moore & I went for a long walk right around the town.  We passed three men carrying rifles but of course took no action against them.

17th & 18th December, 1947 - Contraband and rumours...

Wednesday, 17^th December, 1947

When I went to the office this morning I found that the Urban Police had caught a lorry load of contraband rice and sugar outside Balata and on searching the lorry at the Rural P.S. (Police Station) a rifle and 19 rounds were found.  Apparently this belonged to one of the “Gibney Kabears” in Nablus and I received orders to leave everything until I received instructions form the S.P.  On my way to the Billet where the lorry loaded was parked I saw the Mayor leaving the Billet.  He had been to see the S.P. to get the whole case cancelled.  The S.P. must have been very embarrassed over the whole affair.  The case is however being continued but instead of prosecuting under contraband it is amended to conveying foodstuffs (controlled) without a licence.  The rifle case has been transferred to the Urban as it was found in their area.  I did not know what to do with the 32 sacks of sugar & 10 of wheat (sic)*  No-one wants anything to do with it, neither the Food Controller nor the Customs People.

* Ron described the haul as rice above and again below.

Thursday, 18^th December, 1947

I had to rush around this morning trying to find somewhere in which to store the sugar and rice.  The Armoury in the Station has been transferred to the billet so we moved all the rice and sugar in there.  If I had put it in the court exhibit it would have been filled to the roof.

A hot rumour came in today that we are leaving Nablus in the second week in January and are going by the illegal immigrants boats to Cyprus where we will live in the Detention Camps[1] there until suitable transport is found to take us home,  I rather hope this rumour is fulfilled as it would mean another country to see. 

Cyprus, August 1946-February 1949.source United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

All manner of rumours are in the air but nobody has heard anything official yet.

[1] There were 11 Cyprus Internment Camps which were maintained by the British to house Jews who had tried to immigrate into Palestine in contravention of the British policy at the time...  

13th - 16th December, 1947 - A general telling off is in order from the S.P. and Ron is shocked by heavy-handed practices of Palestinian colleagues

Saturday, 13^th December, 1947

Sunday, 14^th December, 1947

No Entries

Monday, 15^th December, 1947

The Superintendent called all available Police to a lecture in the club this afternoon.  Apparently two C.I.D. men on Saturday evening had gone to the only hotel in Nablus and became a bit more merry than was good for them.  On leaving the Hotel they had their pistols stolen from them.  Fortunately the Mayor came to the assistance again and got them returned.

The S.P. gave us a lecture on being too complacent in our attitude.  He put the Palestine Hotel out of bounds and sayed that if a case arose where a rifle or pistol was taken from a B/C in a café all cafés would be put out of Bounds.

Tuesday, 16^th December, 1947

A wanted man was arrested this morning and charged and cautioned in the office.  He was then sent under escort of one Palestinian to the Lock-Up where unconvicted prisoners are lodged.  This Lock-Up is about 100yds from the Station and when waiting outside the door, as it can only be opened from inside, the prisoner bolted.  The Palestinian escort could not run fast & the prisoner being a young chap had a good start.  One of my “I” Branch men was stood at the Station gate and ran after him.  The prisoner soon covered the 200yds across the flat and slowed down when he began to climb the rocky mountain the “I” man caught him and the escort then came up.  These Palestinians can be cruel at times and they beat the poor prisoner something cruel pushing him back so that he fell to the ground five times.  He was also forced to go through a prickly pear hedge.